Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Tahesha Way

Office of the Public Defender

Immigration

At the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender (NJOPD), we recognize the unique challenges faced by non-citizens navigating the legal system and are dedicated to protecting their rights throughout the legal process.

In Padilla v. Kentucky, the U.S. Supreme Court held that defense attorneys have a constitutional obligation to advise non-citizens about the immigration consequences of criminal charges. The Immigration Unit at NJOPD is constitutionally mandated to provide this representation. Our lawyers work tirelessly to ensure non-citizens charged with crimes receive the full scope of legal advice to which they are entitled under the Constitution. Our attorneys advise non-citizens about how criminal legal system contact can impact their immigration status.

The Immigration Unit supports attorneys and clients in all divisions of the NJOPD including:

  • Criminal Trial Regions
  • Youth Defense
  • Mental Health Advocacy
  • Recovery Court
  • Office of Parental Representation
  • Office of The Law Guardian
  • Appellate
  • Conviction Integrity Unit
  • Parole Revocation & Resentencing Unit

This team can be reached by email at immigration@opd.nj.gov.